A campaign to raise money for the victims of the Haitian earthquake has been launched by a group of artists, including my friend and collaborator Mike Cavallaro. Click here for details. As I've said before, the microcosm is the macrocosm and, at a time like this, even the smallest contribution can make a tremendous difference.
And never underestimate the power of one silent, heartfelt prayer.
Thanks for the link as well as the encouragement to pray. I firmly believe in the power of prayer, but like most truths, it's something I need to be reminded of from time to time.
ReplyDeleteDavid
There's a story I heard years ago, David, told by author Caroline Myss, about a woman -- let's call her Jane -- who'd been in a car accident. I don't recall all the details -- I'm sure I've got some of them wrong -- but this is the essence: Jane, near death, actually left her body and found herself floating over the scene of the accident. Cars were backed up for miles. She suddenly saw a wave of light rise up from one of those cars, shoot through the air and engulf her own wrecked car and her own broken body inside it. The light, as it wrapped around Jane, was powerful, healing, nurturing.
ReplyDeleteJane survived the accident and was later able to track down the woman whose car it was. When she told the woman about what she saw -- the massive wave of light that engulfed and nurtured Jane -- and asked her what was going on at that moment, the woman said, "Well, I saw there was a terrible accident and I said a little prayer for whoever was involved." So that amazing, nurturing light was one single prayer.
Myss heard that story, first-hand, from Jane. I first heard it, on one of Myss's audio books, over a decade ago, and it's stayed with me ever since. It resonated with me, so deeply, in that place that knows truth. I honestly believe that our prayers are THAT POWERFUL. So let's keep the prayers flowing.
What an awesome reminder of why it's so important to pray.
ReplyDeleteAnd will do.
David
I'm all for praying if that is your thing, but I can't help but notice that no one ever says, "hey God, sorry about all the kids you lost today." I certainly don't mean to imply prayer is a bad thing, or a waste of time, just merely pointiong out that there are more points to divinity thab the obvious.
ReplyDeletewishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
Jack
I hear you, Jack. There are aspects to this life (like the Haiti earthquake) that simply defy understanding and explanation. And there are times when a little bit of raging against God is just what's called for. From my perspective, that's a form of prayer, too. And it may be just the prayer that's needed.
ReplyDeleteI once read something, offered from the perspective of the Divine, that really bowled me over: "Love Me or hate Me," it said, "as long as you remember Me." That statement freed me of the idea that prayer only worked if it was gentle, loving, adoring, sweet.
"There are more points to divinity than the obvious." I'm with you there.
"Love Me or Hate Me, as long as you remember Me." I like that. I think it hits to the heart of why a book like Job, where the protagonist spends most of his time accusing God of injustice, is still considered one of the greatest religious works ever written.
ReplyDeleteI think there is more to God than the obvious, but thankfully, there is also the painfully obvious. Prayer is one of those things that seems so simple on the surface that we hestitate to believe it. Man has struggled from the beginning with the concept that we can approach God as easily as a child comes to his parents.
Martin Luther, speaking on a particular theological controversy, once said, "I do not believe it so much as find it true to my experience." Experience will often carry us where logic falls short (or overshoots). One never truly believes in air travel until he's on the plane!
I think the story about your first trip to India is an inspiring example of this!
David
This is all beautifully -- and truly -- said, David. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts...and your heart.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, JMD, and right back at you. I deeply appreciate this blogspot.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite proverb goes "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
So thanks for making me a bit sharper by day's end!
David
You are incredibly welcome, David.
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